atypicalcarl

Thanks, Helen! Storm, I think Oma's advice is good. I've certainly been practicing, but it seems each technique I learn suggests a dozen more that might just be better. I apologize for taking so long to reply. I've been out of town for a funeral.

That's what layers and blend modes do. Place one image on a layer, another on another layer. Move each one around on the canvas separately using the tools. Flatten the layers when you're done. Play around and read the basic tutorials. Learn the intricacies, and you'll be a wiz in no time.

This might get you started: http://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/en/LayersAndBlendModes.html

It's the yellowman game!

Perhaps you could start with a canvas size larger than you need. Use the wand to select the "dead" areas of the canvas, then invert the selection to make sure you're only working within the bounded area. Select the image before saving and "crop to selection."

I use lomography on sepia photographs, but that's about it. For most pieces, lomography only tends to serve as a frame. Art looks better in a frame, but digitally painting a digital frame for a digital painting is a step most of us aren't willing to take. The art will be framed when she has this printed and hung on the wall, and the two together will help to draw the eye where it needs to be.

Truly amazing work. Thanks for sharing it.

I think it's a heck of a sig. I could nitpick, but it wouldn't improve the effect much. Nice flow, nice lines, great job on the text.

I love that floral wallpaper! It's got a great pop art feel to it.

Wow. I LOVE those eggs! Very, very nice.

Thanks all for the encouragement, and the tips. I really appreciate them! Stormshadow - I see what you're saying. I'll work on the grasses behind the tub. I intended this to be a study in green, but I went back afterward and added yellow elements to fit the rule of thirds in an effort to add interest. I hope it worked! Oma, I'm afraid the butterfly is giving me fits. I could paint it, but rendering it is a different animal. I need to learn more about pdn. Don't we all?

I offered a suggestion for the bunny legs, but then deleted it when I noticed that you'd finalized the picture the same day. I didn't want to seem picky. I like the texture on the flower! It seems more realistic, but it doesn't quite suit the green.

It's looking better, Mike. If you're open to requests... I'd love to see that font on a darker background. Can't wait for the tut!

I like it. It could probably use fewer flares for my tastes, but on the whole it's great.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&num=20&q=paint.net+bricks+plugin&btnG=Search

The new wander is nice, but I'm still reeling over "lost." Great work here! I have a fondness for spacescapes (all of my desktops come from the hubblesite) and your spacescapes rock.

I usually save a single layer as a png, work on it huge, save it and reduce it, then import it back into a pdn file. My last painting was 2500 x 2000, 100+ layers. If I were painting it for sale, I'd need it bigger (at least 300dpi) but I get what you're saying. And I did read every post on your gallery. Several times. It's a great learning experience.

Just a quick thought... but why can't you double the image size, run jitter, then reduce back to your original size? Wouldn't it give you finer control over the effect?

Your sigs are getting better and better, Steveo. Practice pays off!

This is way cool. I love words and art, and you've blended them very well. Can't wait to see more like this!

Thanks, Mike! Colors are tricky for me - I'm mildly colorblind. I mix colors by RGB values. Otherwise it starts looking wicked heinous. PS - I LOVE your new sig. Edit: I neglected to thank goonfella (oops.) Thanks, man. I hope to get better at techo-realistic painting - or whatever you call it (3d modeling?) I'm working on a butterfly now.

I love the hummingbird, Oma. The colors are vibrant. It's a joy to see.

I agree with pyrotechniques, Mike: A surface texture on the backdrop would work wonders for the 3D effect and allow for an interesting variation in the light source, adding visual richness. Aside from that, I think the font is well-executed and and the colors are interesting. Forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty.

I love the new style, ouchy. Clean lines, nice perspective. The render pops.

Thanks for the tips and for the encouragement, guys (and gals.) I really appreciate it! We all have such great ideas. It's learning how to execute those ideas that takes time. :oops: